Dec. '23- Week 3- McKenna's Show, Breakfast with Santa, Matinee show, Nelson Family Party, Tab Choir Concert, Webster fam. dinner, LPA Staff pictures, Jazz Game, Visit Layton, Alice to Boondocks

15th- Friday: I subbed in Ms. Enquist’s class for most of the day. At 1pm I got asked to go to the Jr. High and do a Sped Math class. Once we got home, I did Anna’s nails and tried to nap. Ben had Henry and Taggart over. McKenna left for her play. The rest of us went to Del Taco for dinner. Dan picked up groceries and then went to set up tables and chairs at the church for Dagmar’s funeral on Saturday. I went to McKenna’s show! They all did so great and her friends surprised her by coming!  Dan watched a movie with the three girls and they slept in the family room by the tree overnight. Dan and I talked and planned a little bit for our super busy Saturday. 

16th- Saturday: Today was a Marathon day!  We started with Breakfast with Santa! We love this tradition so much! The food, dancing, cookie decorating, letter writing, craft making, face painting, magicians, balloon artists, and family time is amazing!  McKenna and I left early with Dave and Laurie to get home and get McKenna ready for her call time.  I drove the carpool there.  We had some quiet time at home before we went to McKenna’s show! My parents and Mickelle came too. After that, we went straight to the Nelson Family party at a church in Murray. The centerpieces we’re done by sign up and people brought things from other countries and places they've visited. We sang songs and the Nelson sisters also sang.  We left from there and went straight Downtown to the Tabernacle choir concert!  It was incredible and my parents were able to come too.  I’m pretty sure I started the standing ovation after “Ode to Joy.” It was unreal.  The Winegars were nice enough to watch Alice for us.  We left from the concert to go pick up Ben and Deanne Jarvis from the airport.  They flew in to say their goodbyes to Jeff Jarvis whose health was declining rapidly. 

17th- Sunday: We all got to sleep in. I ate with the 4 younger kids while Dan showered. We all showered after that. Sunday school was a lovely lesson about Christmas and Lindsay Jensen brought cinnamon rolls. We all snacked. I had my family call. We had the Nelson family zoom call and got to see Grandfather and Wendy who looked great!  We prepped our food and headed to Webster Family dinner and December birthdays. We also decorated gingerbread boys and houses. We got the kids to bed and cleaned up the kitchen some. We also tried planning more Disneyland trip stuff, but I fell asleep. 

18th- Monday: I subbed in Mrs. Chris’s art class. She had me show her videos she made during Covid the whole time. That was great, except her speaker was too quiet. After school, I took the three girls to Five Below to choose some presents for friends. Anna had gymnastics. I made dinner, picked up Anna, ate, and then took Ben to a Jazz game, compliments of Ryan Olson. Dan was already there for a foster care event where Entrata bought tickets for 500 foster children and parents. McKenna babysat for us. Jazz won!  

19th- Tuesday: I subbed in Mrs. Chris’s again. I brought in my big speaker from home to make her videos louder. We took another staff picture at 3:15. Once we got home I took Bethany to Activity Days and Ben to Luke’s. I came home and prepped stuff for Dan and the girls to wrap. I left with McKenna for her final Beauty and the Beast performance. I stayed and helped backstage with wigs. Harmony’s changes were very stressful, but we did it! McKenna went to McDonald’s after with friends. Ben went to the show with Luke. I ate once I got home. Dan helped me look for Christmas in Brazil stuff. 

20th- Wednesday: I watched a little news after the kids left. I ate and then showered. I drove McKenna and Ben and kids to school. I went straight to Bethany’s classroom and helped with her Christmas party. I did a small presentation on Brazil to each group. I called my mom when I got home and planned our Christmas dinner with her. I ate lunch. Anna and Bethany got home. They went through their back packs. Dan got home to talk to a plumber about our sump pump which was having problems. I went down town to get my access card and parking pass for Choir.  I made dinner and McKenna and I ate quickly before YW. The youth delivered gifts and cards to the widows and widowers in the ward.  We sang to them as well. Ben went to Taggart’s, Alice went to Kaysen’s birthday party at Boondocks!  I love their pictures together with Alice, Kaysen, and Walker.  Anna had Desi over. McKenna enjoyed watching shows!  I made German pancakes. Dan did a grocery order. 

21st- Thursday: We slept in a little. After we ate, the kids showered and packed for Mantua. They left for Costco with Dan and Jasper. I stayed home and made the cranberry salsa, packed, showered, and wrapped some gifts. We finished packing and cleaned the house a little. We left for Mantua by 2:30. We took Clara with us. We stopped in Layton on the way so we could see Jonathan!  We got to Mantua around 5. We had dinner and the kids played and set up their sleeping areas. After the girls were in bed, we played “Take 5” and Golf and had popcorn. 

December Videos:

Ben’s Orchestra Concert, Ben Henry Taggart at Del Taco, Bethany and Alice on church gym stage, Breakfast with Santa, Nelson Family Party, McKenna makes a video at At Home.